


Jasico - Gift Shopping

by MelChan1003



Series: Tári's One-Shot Hell [4]
Category: PJO - Fandom, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Jasico - Freeform, Jason tries to flirt, Kissing, M/M, Nico is confused, Poor innocent babies, christmas theme, gift shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 05:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9057253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelChan1003/pseuds/MelChan1003
Summary: Nico still can't believe he agreed to this. Why did he agree to this, again? Of all the things he could have done, why had he agreed to go Christmas gift shopping with Jason Grace? He was already awkward enough around his crush under normal circumstances, how was he supposed to survive this day - especially with Jason saying all these strange things that just DEMAND to be misinterpreted in all the best ways??!





	

**Author's Note:**

> Helllllouuuu, Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Holidays to everybody!! :D
> 
> This is my Secret Santa gift for the lovely aelys-althea as part of the PJOSecretSanta2016 project on Tumblr <3  
> (Check out all the other amazing gifts!! http://pjosecretsanta2016.tumblr.com)
> 
> I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!!!  
> (I couldn't really fit in Hurt/Comfort because none of my 200 ideas worked out the way I wanted, but I hope you enjoy it, anyways!!)
> 
> Wish you all the best,  
> -Tári

**Gift Shopping**

Oh gods.

Nico was seriously doing this.

How could he seriously be doing this?

"Nico, how about we go in here?" Jason suggested, turning his head to look around at him, and Nico tore his gaze away from the ground to look up at the blonde, nodding hastily without even looking at the store.

Yes, he was seriously doing this.

He was doing the Christmas gift shopping with none other than _Jason Grace_.

As if the gift shopping wasn't already strange enough as it was.

Seriously, who'd have guessed Nico would ever have friends to buy gifts for?

And who'd have ever guessed _Jason_ would accompany him?

Alright, that was only half as good as it sounded, though.

Not because Jason wasn't great, no, he was _perfect_.

But, well…whenever Nico had dared to dream of Jason and him walking through the streets together to do the Christmas shopping (or walking together through the city in general), he might or might not have pictured them holding hands and being…well, _together_.

As in 'together'-together.

But this was good enough, most definitely.

Nico could be happy Jason was coming along, at all, after all.

Though it had kind of been Jason's idea, so at least this wasn't Nico's fault…that's what he kept telling himself, anyways.

Jason had been acting a tad weird lately, though, coming over more often than usual, spending much more time with Nico than all his other friends together – _and_ he had even started bringing Nico small gifts every here and there.

Nothing fancy or big, of course, but more along the lines of a brownie here, or some Mythomagic cards Jason had mysteriously found someplace, there.

Things that had at first been so trivial even Nico hadn't exactly noticed anything off about it, until he had suddenly received the cards and wondered where the hell Jason could have 'found' them, because they came from a collector's pack that wasn't even getting sold anymore – which had kind of made Nico go through _all_ of the gifts he had received from Jason up until that point…just to realize they were quite a few.

Nico really wasn't sure what to think of that.

He had talked to Will about it yesterday – in a moment of weakness – and the blonde had promptly been all euphoric and overly dramatic (in other words: _his usual weird self_ ), telling him Jason 'fancied' him and 'wanted to go out with him'.

Yeah, right.

Nico highly doubted it.

(Though he _so_ wouldn't mind.)

They were something like best friends, but that was about it.

Not quite the 'bromance' Jason and Percy were having, but they had gotten pretty close - at least that was how Nico saw it.

And Nico was to 99% certain Jason's feelings for him were utterly platonic.

Nico's feelings for him…not so much, but, well, what Jason didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right?

It had all happened too suddenly for Nico to really do anything against it, anyways, else he'd have tried to fall in love with somebody else.

He had intended to do so, anyways, hoping to start something with Will, who had outed himself as bisexual two weeks into getting to know Nico better, but…well, his heart had apparently decided differently.

Because, instead of falling for somebody who could actually _love him back_ , he had just _had_ to repeat the same mistake, falling for a straight guy all over again.

Well, at least Jason was single.

Though it was probably only a matter of time until he found somebody like Piper again.

Seriously who'd have expected the two of them to break up, though, anyways?

Nico hadn't.

But that wasn't important right now, anyways.

Right now, it was important to act completely normal as Jason and he entered a clothing store Nico had never even heard of.

He took a deep breath.

He could do this.

No problem.

He was absolutely cool.

Something inside him snapped and he felt like screaming in euphoria and giddiness.

_He was doing Christmas shopping with Jason Grace!_

Alright, maybe he wasn't as cool as he would have liked – inwardly, he was most definitely a wreck.

"Hey, are you okay? Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find something for everybody. How many people do you have?" Jason asked good-naturedly, and Nico tore his gaze away from Jason's hands as he went through a clothes rack, trying not to think of how nice those hands would feel in his own.

"Ah, erm…let's see: Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Annabeth, Percy, Leo, Calypso, Will, Lou Ellen, Cecil, Piper and…well, and you…" He counted off quickly at the top of his head, then trailed off sheepishly, wondering whether it would come across wrong if he said he was going to get Jason anything.

Which was absolutely stupid to think, of course, because he had just said everybody else's name without it being weird, so why would it be weird if he said Jason's name?

Not saying it would have probably been much weirder.

"Me? You're getting me something, too?"

Damn, maybe he shouldn't have said anything, after all, and just given him a stupid number.

"Erm…yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?" He muttered evasively, walking past Jason and further into the store, acting as if he was looking at some of the items on display, though he couldn't really see any of them, his mind zeroed in on Jason behind him, who was following him with a small shrug.

"Just surprised, that's all. Well, you have quite a list, huh? At that rate, we'll probably be in the city until nightfall. Perfect. I've been meaning to ask you out to McDonalds for ages already, anyways."

Nico stumbled over his own two feet and almost tore down an entire shelf with him as he fell.

He… _what_?!

_A-Ask him out?!_

He let out a rather embarrassing squeak, already expecting to hit the ground, what with his mind going a hundred miles an hour with questions like 'Did I just hear that right?!' and 'Why did Jason have to phrase it like that?!', and his body too slow to even pull up his arms to at the very least cushion his fall.

But, as it turned out, he needn't have worried.

Because Jason was right there, grabbing hold of him and turning them both so he was dipping Nico like at the end of a dance, instead of letting him faceplant into the ground.

Which, given the circumstances, would have been greatly preferred, thank you very much.

Nico felt his face flushing crimson, while Jason merely looked at him surprised, and maybe even slightly concerned.

"Are you okay?"

He was still dipping him.

Nico reacted instinctively, shoving Jason away by at least a foot and straightening out his body, mind and clothes again, glancing around the store to check whether anybody had seen that.

But luckily, only the people checking the security tape would ever bear witness to the loss of his pride and dignity.

"Ah…thanks. Sorry. Uh…must have tripped. Over…something. Thanks. Anyways, let's keep looking around, alright?" He mumbled, feeling stupid.

Seriously, usually, he was _a lot_ more relaxed around Jason than this.

This was all _Will's_ fault.  
If _Will_ hadn't put it into Nico's head that Jason 'fancied' him (which absolutely wasn't true, of course), then Nico would _so_ be able to just enjoy the day with his best friend, not to mention he could probably actually _focus on his surroundings_ , for once.

Nico tugged on the first hoodie he could find, acting as if he was checking the size, though he had no idea who'd ever wear it in the first place (it looked horrible).

Jason started talking about some movie Leo and he had watched not too long ago, and how he'd love to watch it with Nico sometime, while also spoiling the film for him entirely, of course, because, well, this was Jason.

Nico wasn't as much listening to his words than the sound of his voice though, taken by how even and collected and calm and _nice_ he sounded.

He wished he had that much control over himself.

Instead, he usually decided to simply stay quiet completely, lest he made a fool of himself.

"You know, I think this would actually really suit you." Jason said thoughtfully after a while, and Nico looked around, catching sight of the most horrendous Christmas sweater he had ever seen.

Bright green, with tons of red-nosed reindeers and what looked like tiny Mr. D's on it (probably Santa Clauses?), as well as red and white and dark blue stripes.

Nico stared.

First at the sweater, then at Jason.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" He then asked incredulously – and more than a little worried - and Jason laughed.

"Sorry, but you were all stiff and quiet, I thought I'd try to loosen you up a bit."

Nico felt his face heating again at Jason's renewed bad phrasing.

_Loosen him up a bit?_

_Seriously_?!

Then again, thinking about it some more, that sounded perfectly normal.

It was all just his messed up mind coming up with messed up, imaginary innuendos.

"I'm okay." He muttered and started turning away again, but then Jason stuck out his bottom lip and shook the hanger with the sweater slightly.

"What, you're not even going to try it on?" He pouted, and Nico froze in his tracks, staring at the blonde in surprise.

He…had never seen Jason pout before, actually.

Gods, could nobody have warned him he looked like a discarded puppy that just made you want to grab it and cuddle it and take it home with you and take the best care of it forever and ever?

"I…" He started, but had utterly forgotten what they had even been talking about in the first place.

Jason shook the hanger tentatively again.

Oh, right.

The sweater.

Wait, _no_.

No way.

"No. That's _definitely_ not my color." He stated resolutely and turned away, just to hear Jason chuckle behind him again.

"Well, if you think so. Though I think you'd look great in it. Then again, you always look great in everything you wear."

Nico decided he was hallucinating today, just that he wasn't _seeing_ things, but _hearing_ them instead.

Will's words echoed in his mind again, but he firmly pushed them away.

He was never going to tell Will anything like this ever again.

What had he been thinking, anyways, telling Will about the 'gifts'?

Not to mention the fact that Jason had offered taking him to the city.

Seriously, at first, Nico had almost thought Jason was asking him out _on a date_ (and Will had assumed the same, getting all excited for him and making his brain go fuzzy with all the 'dating advice' he had given him when Nico had told him).

Then, he had realized Jason must have been talking about _gift shopping_ (Christmas time, duh), so he had hastily agreed, doubting such a chance would ever come up again, so he should definitely make use of it (Will had been so disappointed at that revelation).

Yeah…bad thinking on Nico's part, definitely.

He so wasn't mentally prepared to walk the streets with Jason, no matter if platonically or not – and he was utterly convinced this _was_ platonically, even if his body, mind and soul pleaded for the other.

"So…who do _you_ need gifts for?" He asked, trying to sound casual, but his voice sounded slightly off.

Well, nothing for it.

If Jason asked, he would simply say he was coming down with a cold.

Hm, he might be able to use that as an excuse for any more delirious behavior, too.

Perfect.

"Oh, I already have everything."

Nico nodded quietly, and the first thing that crossed his mind was 'Does he have something for me, too?' – which obviously immediately led to him trying to guess what Jason would get him in case he'd get him anything.

He let his hands move through the racks of clothes, though he wasn't really sure what he was even looking for, when he suddenly stopped and frowned.

Wait…if Jason already had everything…why had he asked Nico to come along for gift shopping?

He looked around at Jason, and found him eyeing him amused, his hands in his pants pockets, a small smile on his face.

"What?" The blonde asked, mirth in his gaze that Nico completely couldn't place.

"Nothing." Nico muttered hurriedly, looking away again and making his way over towards the jewelry they had.

Maybe he could find something for Piper, Hazel or Reyna here.

For Annabeth, he'd probably be better off in the audiobook section in a book store.

Percy, he could always get sweets for.

Leo and Calypso, no freaking idea.

Will…just for telling him all that nonsense and getting his hopes up unnecessarily, Nico was going to get him something super horrible and/or embarrassing.

That would serve him right.

"See anything suitable? Or anything _you_ would like?" Jason asked curiously next to him, right as he touched a surprisingly nice-looking fake leather bracelet with studs.

Erm…no.

He was here to buy gifts for his _friends_ , not to indulge himself with things he wasn't going to wear, anyways.

"No, I don't think so." He said quietly, pulling his hand back and letting his eyes move over the rows of necklaces and earrings.

Why was gift shopping so difficult, anyways?

Plus, he couldn't help but worry that, even if he was to find something this year, what was he going to buy _next year_ , for their _birthdays_ , for _other festivities_ , for next _Christmas_?

Having friends was difficult.

Then again, spending time with them was amazing and fun and great, so he guessed it was worth it, all the same.

"Hm, want to check out a different store, then? Or would you like to look around some more? I saw some more sweaters that would _definitely_ suit you."

Nico eyed him warily from the side.

Was that a threat?

Jason grinned at him innocently.

_Definitely_ a threat, then.

"Nah, let's go. Maybe we should go into an actual jewelry store next. If you don't mind, that is." He suggested, then backtracked, not wanting to force Jason to anything.

But Jason waved off, walking next to him out of the store.

"Nico, I'd walk to the end of the world with you. I'm sure I'll survive a jewelry store."

Nico frowned at him, but didn't say anything.

What was it with those weird statements, today?

And, 'I'd walk to the end of the world with you'?

Really?

That was a bit much, right?

No, probably not. Nico's mind must be messing with him.

(Definitely Will's fault.)

They walked side by side quietly, the back of Jason's hand brushing against Nico's ever so slightly, making him instantly panic Jason might think he was trying to make a move on him.

But if he pulled his hand away instantly, that would look suspicious, wouldn't it?

But he couldn't just keep it there, could he now?

Somebody bumped into his shoulder, and their hands collided momentarily, so Nico instantly pulled his hand back and shoved it into his thin Camp jacket, turning his head to scowl at the back of the person who had rammed him, but nobody seemed to notice nor care.

"Here's a jewelry store." Jason pointed out, and Nico looked around at the store Jason was nodding towards.

Right.

What did he want in there, again?

Oh yeah, Christmas gifts.

"Do you have anything particular in mind yet?" Jason asked him as they entered the store, promptly finding a young woman making her way towards them.

Nico was about to tell him he had no idea whatsoever, when the woman was already there, studying them from top to bottom, probably trying to gauge the sizes of their bank accounts and putting on a forced smile – which already showed just what she thought of them.

Prejudices and assumptions.

Nice.

This was off to a good start.

"Good day, you two. How may I help you? Looking for gifts for your girlfriends?"

Nico inwardly winced.

Oh, how he _hated_ it when people just assumed everybody they saw was _straight_.

_Ugh_.

"Actually, no. I'm trying to help my _boyfriend_ find some Christmas gifts for friends and family. But we'll just be looking around for now, thank you."

Nico's head snapped around, _gaping_ at Jason, thinking he must have _most definitely_ misheard.

But, well, since the lady was gaping as well as she stared at Jason in a mixture of disbelief and outright _shock_ , he guessed Jason had seriously just said that.

Jason, who was definitely _not_ Nico's boyfriend (at least not outside his dreams, as far as Nico was aware…).

Jason, who was eyeing the woman with an amused expression, before turning to Nico with a small smile, taking him by the arm and leading him over to the necklaces, as if this was the most natural and normal thing in the world.

Nico let him drag him away, not even capable of closing his mouth, still staring at Jason in utmost disbelief.

"What did you…how could you…that's… _why_?" He hissed under his breath and glanced back towards the lady, who was still frozen at the doorway where they had left her.

Jason merely shrugged, looking at the jewelry curiously.

"Don't you just hate it when people just assume you're straight? Like, she could have asked whether we're looking for something for our _partners_ , or looking for something for _somebody in particular_ , but she purposely used the term 'girlfriends', as if it was the only possibility. It just annoyed me. Plus, I always wanted to say that sometime." He explained good-naturedly, as if talking about the weather outside.

Nico's heart did a little flip at the last part.  
Wait, what had he always wanted to say?

That Nico was his boyfriend?

_Yeah, right._

And there Nico had thought his wishful thinking would have stopped after pining for Percy for forever.

Well, apparently not.

_Rejoice_.

Ugh, he was going to _massacre_ Will once the day was over.

"See anything? Or want to check out the earrings or rings or whatever else they sell in jewelry stores?" Jason asked amiably, and Nico shrugged, glancing around to see the lady walking back to the counter, hastily looking away, which indicated she had been staring.

"Or do you want to leave? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, you know?" Jason added cautiously, and Nico looked back at him surprised, realizing with a jolt Jason actually looked slightly concerned.

"Oh, no, I'm good. I was just surprised, that was all. I'm not…I'm not really out to anybody, after all, so…yeah…"

"Yeah, me neither." Jason said with a sigh, and Nico frowned confused.

What?

"Whose gifts are you looking for right now? Maybe I can help?" Jason offered before Nico could ask what he meant, and Nico blinked back at the wide variety of glittery whatever's in front of him.

"Either something pretty for Piper, something homely for Hazel, or something royal for Reyna. Or, of course, something weird for Will." He said absent-mindedly, and found Jason first moving, then halting in his step, looking around at him with an odd expression on his face.

" _P_ retty for _P_ iper, _h_ omely for _H_ azel, _r_ oyal for _R_ eyna and _w_ eird for _W_ ill? Be honest, was that intentional?"

Nico blinked, then realized how he had just said that, and promptly felt his face heating again.

_This was all Will's fault_! Seriously!

Will _always_ talked like that, so Nico must have picked it up at some point!

Damn that blonde!

Jason chuckled.

"Wow. I knew you were amazing, but _that_? Hm, let me try, too." Jason stated, gazing at Nico intently and even bringing up his hand to his face to tap his finger to the side of his mouth distractedly, apparently thinking about something suitable to say.

As if Nico wasn't already feeling mortified enough, seriously.

But then, Jason shook his head with a sigh.

"Nope, can't do it. Told you you're special. And a nerd. _N_ erdy _N_ ico." He winked at Nico, and Nico made sure to nudge him in the side with his elbow as they both giggled now, moving over to the bracelets.

Did any of his friends even wear bracelets?

He highly doubted it.

"Sure I can't help you with anything?" The lady called over once more, though she stayed at the counter, funnily enough.

What was she afraid of? That they'd bite?

They were _gay_ , not _rabid_.

Well, _Nico_ was gay, at least.

Jason, he had no idea, right now.

"Want me to ask her for engagement rings?" Jason offered, and Nico snorted out a laugh.

"Jason! _No_!" He exclaimed, trying to be as quiet as possible, which was practically impossible when laughing in an entirely quiet store.

Jason merely grinned, winking at him.

Since when was Jason _winking_ at him, anyways?

He had never done that before.

Will used to do that for a long time, though.

But he had stopped once he had realized Nico didn't want to be more than friends, so Nico guessed it had been his way of attempting to flirt.

With Jason, it probably merely meant he was hanging out with Percy way too much…

Jason chuckled, then turned his head to look at the lady again, who still seemed to be waiting for a reply.

"No thanks, we're good. I, for one, have all I want right here." He said and nodded towards Nico with a soft smile - and Nico could feel his face _burning_ in response.

Seriously, what was up with Jason and his weird phrasing today?  
_He usually didn't say stuff like this!_

Then again, they usually weren't confronted with any heteronormative people like that, since their friends couldn't care less about sexualities, and Nico usually didn't interact with anybody else (he barely socialized at all, to be honest).

But still, Jason was acting completely different from usual, at least in Nico's opinion.

"How about this for Hazel?" The blonde suggested, pointing at one of the prettier bracelets on display, and Nico leaned closer to him slightly to get a better look.

It did look nice, but he wasn't sure whether it'd really fit her taste.

"Not good?"

"Oh, no, it's beautiful. I'm just not sure whether she'd really wear it..." Nico muttered indecisively.

Then he groaned, brushing the hair out of his face. "Jason, why do gifts have to be so _difficult_? I swear, I'm freaking out internally over this. What if I pick something stupid? What if they don't like it? What if they're going to think it's stupid, or…" He rambled without thinking, his voice sounding as desperate as he felt.

All of a sudden, Jason's finger was on his lip, his face a lot closer than a moment ago.

"Nico, calm down. They'll _love_ it. No matter what it is. Picking gifts is always difficult, but just think of it this way: If you were to receive a gift from Hazel, would that make you happy?" Jason cut in, his voice soft and gentle, though he didn't give Nico a chance to reply.

"Yes, it would, even if it was something really simple or stupid, am I right or am I right? Because it's not just the gift itself that counts, but also the person who gave it to you, and the fact they went through the trouble to get you something. I can guarantee you they'll all love whatever you pick for them, because they'll be happy beyond belief to have you care so much for them you'd pour so much thought into a gift for them."

Nico blinked up at Jason, noticing all those unimportant details.

Like how his eyes gleamed so wonderfully, the blue in them shifting and changing like the sky before a storm.

Or the way his glasses were slightly crooked on his nose.

Or the way his lips moved when he spoke, the stapler scar simply _demanding_ Nico's attention, not permitting his eyes to move away until Jason was done talking.

And even then, Nico had to tear his gaze away forcefully, pulling back slightly when he noticed Jason's finger was still against his lips, cool and gentle, making him shiver and miss the light touch as soon as it was gone.

"I...I..." He started, but had no idea what to say, his brain still trying to make sense of Jason's words.

His eyes swept over the rows of bracelets and earrings, stopping at a ridiculously big and bulky bracelet with neon colored accents.

"I'm going to get Will that." He blurted, moving forward to get a better look at it.

Jason seemed surprised for a moment, and Nico could have sworn he saw his shoulders slump a bit, seeming the tiniest bit disappointed, but when he looked around at him properly, Jason was smiling again, taking a look at the horrid thing as well.

"That? Are you sure?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, but seemed more amused than anything else, and Nico nodded sternly.

"Absolutely. It's _payback_. I swore to myself I'd get him the most mortifying thing ever, and then force him to wear it. He's going to _hate_ it. It's _perfect_."

Jason chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"Wow, he must have done something really horrible then, to deserve your wrath like that. Still, don't be surprised if he wears it with pride. He'll be too thrilled to have received anything from you in the first place to really care what it is, I'm certain."

Hm, that was a good point…

Nico stared off into space thoughtfully for a moment.

Then he shrugged.

"In that case, we should probably keep looking for something different, then. Something not even Will can wear with pride."

"How about a 'Sexy Nurse' outfit?" Jason offered with a teasing twinkle in his eyes, and Nico's eyes widened.

_Oh gods._

Images flashed through his mind, first of Will in such an outfit, which would definitely count to embarrassing and awkward and perfect for the intended purpose – but then drifted off to _Jason_ in a similar outfit, making Nico's eyes glaze over and causing his insides to get all jittery and excited for _no reason whatsoever_.

But then he frowned. "Wait, there's no way he'd wear that in front of others, so that's kind of useless. How about a normal nurse outfit? We could make him wear it in the infirmary for a week. Bet that would peeve him. He always wants to be a _doctor_ , after all." He suggested instead, thinking of how annoyed and frustrated Will would undoubtedly get after repeatedly getting called 'Nurse Will', instead of 'Doctor Solace'.

Jason laughed quietly, and Nico could see the lady shooting them odd glances every now and then, but luckily she left them to themselves.

"That's good, too. Though, I'm sure Will would wear the outfit for you, if you so asked him to." Jason muttered, looking slightly bitter (or at least that's how it seemed to Nico), though he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at him at the same time, so Nico wasn't entirely sure what he was trying to say.

He blinked, pondering his words for another moment.

Then he understood - and his face flushed crimson ( _again_ ).

"That...that may be, but...erm...we're...we're not like that..." He insisted hurriedly, _awkwardly_ , looking _anywhere_ but at Jason, though he could still see the way he raised his eyebrows out of the corners of his eyes.

For some reason, he didn't like the thought of Jason thinking Will and Nico were more than just friends.

He didn't like it _at all_.

"No, seriously, we're just friends. I'm not...we're not...you know..." He rambled, inwardly telling himself to _shut the hell up_ before he said something stupid like 'I'm head over heels in love with you, there's no way I can date Will'.

He also forced himself to look at Jason to not seem as suspicious, but then he started panicking, because he was _definitely_ looking at him way too intensely, and the fact he was fixing all his attention to that way too alluring mouth wasn't helping much, either.

In fact, this had been a bad idea, it would have probably been ten times less suspicious of him to not look at Jason at all.

Damn it all.

Why did he have to be so obvious about everything?

_This was all Will's fault._

Well, okay, not really, but Nico needed a scapegoat right now, as mean as it was.

Maybe he should choose a nicer gift as compensation for abusing Will's name for everything he messed up today.

Hmpf, only if Nico was allowed to _keep using_ his name to blame whatever else on him that he was going to fuck up.

"Well, if you say so." Jason said with a small shrug, though he still eyed Nico oddly, as if pondering something.

Nico still didn't like it.

"I know so. I'm not interested in Will like that, Jason. Just because he's bi doesn't mean I can miraculously fall in love with him or anything." He said resolutely, adding a bitter _'Not that I didn't try'_ to himself.

Jason's eyebrows shot up, his hands stopping on its way to one of the finer glass cases with a fancy silver and gold bracelet.

Nico swallowed.

Had he said something wrong?  
Had he given himself away?

"I'm glad you think that way. It's good to see you're beginning to give your own feelings some room for once, instead of forcing yourself to anything. Is there...are you..." For a moment, one fleeting moment, Jason looked conflicted, as if he wanted to ask something, but wasn't entirely sure whether he really should.

Nico tilted his head slightly, looking at him questioningly.

Hm?

What?

But then Jason merely shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Come on, let's check out some other stores. We can always come back here if we can't find anything else." He said and Nico had to admit he was a tad disappointed.

Somehow, it felt as if this might have been important.

Oh well, nothing for it.

He let Jason tug him after him by the arm, noting (and imprinting it to memory with all his might) just how nice and cool and comforting Jason's hand felt on his lower arm, and how gentle Jason was with him, even though he was a giant and shouldn't even have been capable of holding his arm quite that softly.

Once outside, he kind of expected him to let go of him again, but Jason's hand simply slid down to his wrist, staying there instead.

Nico could feel a shiver running down his back, all his nerves tingling, his gaze hushing sideways up to Jason's face for a moment, just to check whether he was aware of what he was doing or not.

But Jason wasn't looking at him, instead looking around at the signs of the stores around them, keeping him close - and his hand firmly, but gently, on Nico's wrist.

Maybe he was worried about them getting separated in the crowd?

It _was_ mid-December, after all, so it wasn't all that surprising that most of the people who weren't at work had the bright idea of doing their Christmas shopping.

Yeah, maybe next year Nico should do it, like, a month prior.

Or at least a tiny bit sooner.

Jason had all his things already, after all.

Oh.

"Thanks for offering to go gift shopping, by the way. I'm glad I don't have to do this alone. Though I'd have done the same for you, you know?" He tried tentatively, mainly to get rid of the silence between them, albeit it wasn't an uncomfortable one.

He still didn't understand why Jason had asked him to go gift shopping with him if he already had everything, but he wasn't going to question his reasoning behind it, since he really _was_ glad Jason was with him right now (even if only platonically).

Jason glanced around at him, a small smile forming on those oh-so-kissable lips.

Oh, what Nico would give for some mistletoes right about now, so somebody could insist on Jason at least giving him a small peck or something.

(Yes, Nico had it bad, alright?)

"Oh, no problem. I've been meaning to ask you out, anyways, so it was perfect timing. Though I wish I had known. Bet that would have been fun. I was actually thinking of asking you sooner, but I didn't want to bother you. Then again, at this rate, at least I could freak out over your gift without you being there to witness it, so I guess that's a plus, at least." Jason told him, his hand now slipping down his wrist to his hand, clasping it loosely, and Nico had the hardest time not to look at their hands to check whether this was real and truly happening.

No, because there was _no way_ he was going to do _anything_ that might draw any attention to their hands, and make Jason pull away or something.

No way at all.

Then his mind actually caught up with what Jason had said, and his already wildly hammering heart seemed to triple its speed.

"Y-You have a gift for me?" He asked surprised, flattered, honored, _awe-struck_ , and Jason looked around at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Of course I do, what did you think?" He asked, looking genuinely confused and perplexed, and Nico shrugged helplessly.

How was he supposed to know?

He had wondered whether Jason might give him something for Christmas, yes, but he hadn't _really_ thought he'd have anything for him.

Though he had kind of liked to think Jason would at the very least get him a small something after knowing Nico was going to get him a gift (though he had no idea what that was going to be, yet).

But Jason really already had a gift for him?

"Well, I don't know. But you were just as surprised when you found out I was going to get YOU something, so you're in no position to talk, you know?" He shot back with a small pout, trying to keep his face neutral and as far away from any more awkward blushes as possible.

Seriously, nobody else managed to get under his skin quite so quickly and so many times in a row but Jason.

Sure, Will could make him blush in discombobulation and utter mortification, but Jason was the only one who got Nico's insides in a knot and made him feel both warm and fuzzy on the inside, while cold shivers were running down his back at the same time; turning his face the color of a tomato, just to then send him a heart-warming, gentle smile that sent him straight back to Cloud Nine.

Jason chuckled, gaze fixed straight ahead as he led Nico through the buzzing streets.

"I guess you have a point. Now, let me get us something to eat, alright?"

Nico was about to argue about being perfectly capable of covering his own expenses, not to mention the fact that he wasn't even all that hungry yet, but then Jason was already tugging him into the closest food place he could find, and Nico couldn't bring himself to try to stop him in any way.

He…was kind of really sweet today.

Maybe Nico should try to get him to take him to the city more often.

No, wait, that might come across too date-ish and freak Jason out.

Damn it.

But…this was kind of nice, as well.

Really nice.

***

Four hours later, the two of them were carrying several bags full of goodies, chatting and laughing and joking, all the tension and awkwardness between them gone.

Nico felt oddly proud of himself.

After a somewhat nice, but awkward lunch, they had gone through plenty more stores, but in the end, he had managed to find something for all his friends.

Well, _almost_ all.

He glanced sideways at Jason, who was beaming and carrying part of his shopping with utter ease, acting as if it was a royal crown or something comparably valuable he had been entrusted with, instead of simple plastic bags full of simple Christmas gifts.

He was the only one Nico hadn't found anything suitable for yet – and he really hoped Jason hadn't noticed.

Though Jason had left him to himself plenty of times whenever Nico had started fidgeting, hoping to finally have found _something_ good for the blonde, but unwilling to be too obvious about it – not that it had helped, since, well, Jason _had_ moved away at _exactly_ those times, after all, as if he had been able to read Nico's mind.

Good thing he couldn't.

The things he would be able to see in there sometimes were bound to mark him for life, after all.

And with _mark_ , he meant _traumatize_.

Yeah, good thing Jason couldn't read his mind.

"So, may I seduce you with some McDonalds?" Jason asked cheekily, and Nico found his cheeks warming slightly, though he merely grinned back and gave a small nod.

"You may, but only if I get a Happy Meal."

It wasn't as if Jason really meant anything by it, anyways.

Jason laughed at that, shaking his head slightly to himself.

"Anything for you, Nico. So, did you manage to get everything you wanted?" He asked pleasantly as he looked around them, probably checking for any McDonald signs.

Nico shrugged, shivering slightly in the cold, though he ignored that in favor of debating with himself whether to say or not to say that he was still missing something for Jason.

"Almost. One gift is missing, but I suppose I can always come back some other time to get that…" He tried evasively, though he was pretty sure Jason could figure it out if he wanted to.

After all, Nico had kind of consulted him on all the other gifts before buying them, so Jason was bound to realize whose gift was missing.

Great.

Maybe he should have gotten him one of those sweaters he had considered earlier.

They had looked kind of nice, after all, the perfect shade of blue to match Jason's eyes in a way that seemed almost impossible.

But…clothes? For Jason?

It seemed kind of stupid.

Also, it could be misinterpreted in Jason believing Nico didn't like what he was wearing.

He could also already hear Will whistling, asking him whether he was trying to take over Jason's wardrobe and whether they were at that stage in their relationship already.

Yeah, no.

Not a good idea.

"We could still look after we get some food. It's not that late yet, after all." Jason offered with a shrug, but Nico's eyes drifted to their bags.

He'd love to make their not-date-date last as long as possible, but he also really didn't want to bother Jason and make him carry all those bags the entire time.

Plus, it really was kind of cold.

"It's okay, really. I'll just come back another time." He replied at long last, wishing he could wrap his arms around himself right about now.

Hopefully, a McDonalds would show up soon.

Jason looked around at him, studying him quietly.

"Well, if you say so. I'd gladly come with you again, if you want."

Oh, Nico would love that, alright?

"Like a second date?" He heard himself asking without knowing he had opened his mouth to say anything.

Oh gods.

Oh gods, he hadn't just said that, right?

Oh gods, somebody kill him now, please.

Jason's eyes widened and he almost tripped over his feet, looking around at Nico in surprise, while Nico frantically looked anywhere but at Jason.

Sue him and his loose tongue!

Seriously, _this was all Will's fault_!

And Jason's, too, for continuously saying weird things and calling this a 'date'!

Even if it had only been meant as a joke, Nico's messed up mind must have somehow decided it was a perfectly adequate thing to say in a weak moment.

But, of course, if Nico _as the gay guy_ said something like that, it would _definitely_ not come across as a joke.

Just his luck.

"Yes. Exactly like that." Jason suddenly said, beaming again in that really odd way and staring off into the distance with a rather satisfied, happy expression.

That guy was just so weird.

No wonder Nico had fallen in love with him.

Could anybody _not_ fall in love with this weirdo?

He couldn't picture it.

Then again, only one look at that handsome face should have everybody swooning over him.

Well, everybody _was_ swooning over him because of that handsome face.

But Jason was so much more than that, too…

Alright, when had this turned into another one of his gushing-about-Jason moments?

The wind started picking up, smacking him into the face and making his cheeks burn with cold.

He should get himself a scarf sometime, too.

And a hat.

He shivered again, this time hard enough to make his bags slightly nudge the ones Jason were holding, promptly making the blonde look around again.

"Are you cold? You're cold, aren't you? Oh gods, I've been thinking I should get you a new jacket, that one really doesn't look warm enough at all. But you didn't say anything, so I didn't want to assume…wait…" Jason started rambling, stopping in the middle of the rather busy sidewalk, though people were decent enough to simply move around them as Nico stopped as well, perplexed and confused.

He watched with even more bewilderment how Jason put the bags down on the ground between his legs for a moment – and started looking _panicked_ when Jason started unzipping his jacket.

Wait, wait, _wait_!

"Jason, it's really not…" He started, his voice a lot higher than usual as he realized what Jason was intending to do.

But then Jason already had his jacket off and was draping it over Nico's shoulders, standing there in one of the nicest sweaters Nico had ever seen him wearing.

Oh gods, he looked delicious.

No, wait, that shouldn't be what was going through his head right now.

Jason was going to freeze!

It was cold!

He was only in a (very nice looking) sweater!

Nico opened his mouth to argue, to complain, to do _anything_ , but all he managed to do was inhale Jason's scent from his jacket, before Jason's finger was against his lips, shushing him.

"It's okay. I'm fine, Nico. Just take it and stay warm, okay? We're not far from the McDonalds, so once we're there, you can give it back. I'll survive until then. And after I woo you with a Happy Meal, we'll go look for a jacket for you and the last gift you're missing. Deal?"

No.

Nico was utterly against it.

Jason looked way too stunning in that rather nicely cut, blue sweater.

Blue was definitely becoming Nico's favorite color, and quickly so.

Plus, he was bound to get cold, no matter what he might say.

What if he caught a cold just because of Nico?

Also, if they weren't all that far from the McDonalds, then why was Jason going through all the trouble to give him his jacket?

It seemed so…cliché, in a way.

Like what would happen on a…date.

Nico gazed up at Jason with big eyes, wishing, hoping, _praying_ that maybe, just maybe, one day, Jason could think of him like that, could consider going on an actual date with him.

Could love him like Nico did.

Jason's eyes widened slightly, his expression softening as his gaze hushed up and down Nico's body, becoming…appraising?

"What is it?" Nico heard himself ask, his voice quiet, a mere huff around Jason's finger, though he had forgotten it was still on his lips.

Jason seemed to have forgotten, too, his gaze snapping back to Nico's lips instantly, his finger twitching slightly.

"You…" Jason started, the faintest hint of pink creeping up his neck to his face.

See? He must already be getting cold!

Nico should take the jacket off and throw it at his face and stomp off, ranting about health just like Will did all the time.

But he couldn't make himself move, much less take the jacket off, since it felt so wonderfully warm and soft around him, smelling so much like _Jason_ it was almost overwhelming.

Oh gods, maybe he would steal this jacket.

And sleep in it.

Every night.

For the rest of his life.

Yes, perfect plan.

Jason cleared his throat, pulling Nico back into reality.

"I suit you really well, don't you think? I mean-… _my jacket_ looks great on you." The blonde muttered awkwardly as he pulled his hand back and away from Nico's face in order to scratch the side of his neck, which was turning an even darker shade of pink.

Though Nico was certain his own face was flushing way more than that.

"Why do you…keep saying stuff like that?" He asked, his voice still so quiet and weird, it was absolutely horrible and mortifying.

But Jason didn't laugh.

Instead, he let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Because I…kind of suck at this, you know?" He muttered, gesturing half-heartedly as he bent down to grab the bags again.

While he was at it, he also took the rest of the bags from Nico, probably realizing this was the perfect opportunity to strike, because Nico was way too confused to stop him in any way.

Suck at what?

Did Jason mean to say he didn't know how to treat Nico because he was gay?

Or that he wasn't sure what to make of them?

Or that he didn't know how to go about this not-date-date?

His stomach churned, and he swallowed hard.

No, he shouldn't assume anything.

It had probably just come across wrong.

Like all the other things Jason had said today.

"What do you mean?" He forced himself to ask, even though he was dreading the answer.

Jason was already turning away, but stopped again to look back at him, studying his face for a long moment.

Then he sighed again.

Nico readied himself for the blow.

"Flirting."

Nico gazed at Jason, expecting more to come, but nothing came.

Then he frowned, trying to wrap his mind around the reply.

Then he blinked, wondering whether he had misheard.

Then he was utterly certain he _must_ have misheard, because that had absolutely made no sense whatsoever.

"I… _what_?" He asked dumfounded, but Jason already had his back to him, beginning to walk again with a light shrug.

"I suck at it. I mean, Percy tried to give me pointers, but I don't think I did too well, considering you didn't react to anything I've said."

Nico had started hurrying after Jason, but was now slowing down again as the meaning of Jason's words started sinking it.

"Wait…why would you…with me…I mean…" He started, confused, bewildered, his mind working feverishly to wrap around Jason's words, to get to the meaning behind it, to make sense of the words, the situation, _Jason_.

The blonde let out a small chuckle and glanced around at him, his expression unusually sad, maybe even miserable.

"Nico, when I asked you to go to the city with me, I was trying to ask you out _on a date_. Percy said I should finally get my head out of the gutter and pluck up the courage to make an actual move on you, because I've been 'crying his ears off', as he so lovingly called my very reasonable rambling. So, I first tried wooing you with gifts, but I didn't want to be too obvious or straight-forward, worried you'd freak out. But in the end, I think I messed up by being too casual, so there went that idea." Jason started, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk again, and Nico absent mindedly realized that was more because Nico was rooted to the spot, rather than Jason not wanting to keep walking – because Jason was pretty fidgety and blushing harder by the minute and seemed more than willing to keep walking (or running away).

Nico's heart was hammering in his chest, his mouth hanging open, his brain either working too fast and hard, or not at all anymore, because nothing inside his head made any sense right now, and all he could do was gape at Jason, soaking up every single syllable that left his lips, and taking in every single move and gesture and expression Jason made as if it was his air to breathe.

This. Could. Not. Be. True.

Jason lifted the hand that was only holding four of the bags to move it through his hair somewhat, another sigh leaving his lips.

"So I thought I'd really do it, I'd ask you out, what could happen, right? But you kind of misinterpreted it entirely, thinking I wanted to go gift shopping with you – which is great, don't get me wrong! Gods no, it's _amazing_ , _you're_ amazing, I loved the entire day with you, even if it wasn't quite the date I'd have wanted to take you to. I mean, not-date, because you…ah…I just ruined it, didn't I? I'm sorry. I should have kept my mouth shut. But Percy was so insistent that I might have a chance with you, because he supposedly caught you…you know…looking at me…in some weird way he couldn't describe…but he said if I at the very least dropped hints I was interested, you might…you know…" Jason gestured with his hands again, his entire face, ears and neck now a rather interesting shade of pink.

Nico still gaped at him.

Then, as if on cue, all those freaking innuendos he had had to endure all throughout the day came rushing through his head, and he let out an indignant sound.

"So you did do that _on purpose_?! What the _fuck_ , Jason, you had me going _crazy_ the entire time, thinking I was either mishearing something or seriously misinterpreting every fucking thing out of your mouth! Do you know what torture that was? Don't do that to me! I already had a tough enough time telling myself you just wanted to be friends, especially with Will repeatedly telling me nonsense like that you 'fancied' me, just because he found out I have a crush on you!" He exclaimed, tempted to throw the bag with the horrendous bulky bracelet (yes, he had gotten it) and a matching horrid Christmas sweater for Will at him, but then he remembered he didn't have that bag anymore, because Jason was holding it.

Jason, who was first looking guilty and upset, but suddenly seemed more struck and dumbfounded, staring at Nico in what quickly turned from plain confusion to disbelief.

"You…wait, you have a crush on me?"

" _Of course_ I do! But that's beside the point, Jason! Do you have _any_ idea how _crazy_ your innuendo was making me? I seriously thought there was something wrong with my hearing!" Nico ranted rather loudly, stomping on the ground in frustration as he gestured wildly, his inner Italian showing as he rambled on.

Jason still stared at him, apparently speechless.

_He wasn't listening!_

All day long, Jason had been _doing that on purpose_?!

For real?!

"I mean, seriously?! And that's without even mentioning the handholding part! Oh gods, _don't even get me started on that_ , because I never wanted to let your hand go!"

He should definitely shut up now.

He didn't.

Instead, he kept on ranting and moving his arms, just to notice the jacket almost sliding over his shoulders, so he tugged it back on right, still glowering at Jason, who was blinking, standing in front of him and watching him with a growing smile on his face, suddenly looking all relaxed and gentle and happy-go-lucky.

What was he smiling about?

It only egged Nico on further.

"Or this _jacket_! I want to curl up in this jacket and _die_ , Jason. _Die_. Because it's just so perfect and warm and smells like you and it's just so-…" He started, tugging on the top part of Jason's jacket for emphasis, looking down for the fraction of a second.

When he looked up, Jason must have somehow moved closer at incredible speed (or maybe he had been coming closer. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure whether Jason might not have been walking towards him, actually), because he was suddenly in front of him, cupping his face and-…

Jason's lips pressed onto his, and Nico could feel the broad grin they were forming, blinking confused at Jason's suddenly so close face as his brain now definitely short-circuited, waving goodbye without even giving him a chance to realize what was going on.

Then Jason's lips started moving against his, _with_ his, animating him to respond, Jason's body moving closer to his, and his arms wrapping around him now, with the bags and all still dangling off them.

"Kiss me, Nico." Jason breathed against his lips, or maybe Nico just thought he did, because it should have definitely been too loud around them in the middle of the busiest street in the city – but Nico didn't care either way.

Instead, he moved forward as Jason pulled back slightly and pressed his lips clumsily against Jason's, his arms flying up to wrap around the blonde's neck.

Jason made a small, happy sound, returning the kiss instantly and tugging him tighter against him as they just stood there, in the middle of the sidewalk, with hundreds of people around them.

But they didn't matter.

All that mattered right now was Jason, Jason's lips, Jason's hands, Jason's breath against his skin, Jason's body against his own, Jason's warmth radiating from him, Jason's tongue moving against Nico's lips, past Nico's lips, into his mouth...

And suddenly, the word _alive_ seemed to have an entirely new meaning.

He moaned softly, happily, the world suddenly seeming so much brighter, even though he had his eyes closed, and it felt as if, in this moment, he had all the secrets of the universe figured out, just by kissing Jason Grace.

"I love you, Nico." Jason whispered against his lips as he pulled back what might have been a minute, an hour, or an eternity later, Nico wasn't entirely sure.

But it didn't matter, because not even eternity would have been nearly long enough to satisfy Nico's need for those lips on his own.

Then Jason's words sunk in, and Nico's eyes shot open, gazing up at Jason in wonder, amazement and disbelief.

"Really?" Was all he managed, a mere huff in the cold winter air.

Jason chuckled, leaning down slightly, and Nico half wondered what he was intending to do now – but Jason merely put the bags between his legs again so he could reach out with both his hands and cup Nico's face once more, his cool thumbs stroking over Nico's cheeks affectionately.

"Yes, really. Go out with me?" He asked cheekily, and Nico couldn't help but giggle, no matter how embarrassing it might sound like.

Plus, it wasn't as if the giddy and utterly stupid grin spreading on his face was doing him any favors in hiding the utter euphoria spreading through him at Jason's words, anyways.

"You really have to ask?"

Jason grinned broadly, looking happier and more excited than Nico had ever seen him before.

"Is that a yes?"

Nico grinned back, deciding to be a tad bold as he stepped forward and reached up to wrap his arms back around Jason's neck, tugging him down slightly.

"It's a hell yes. Kiss me again?"

Jason chuckled.

"You really have to ask?" He mimicked Nico, and Nico only had the time to at the very least _attempt_ to make a face at him, before Jason already swooped down and pressed their lips together again, to the point where Nico started seeing stars behind his closed eyelids.

Or maybe there _were_ stars around them now.

Or maybe _they_ were made up of stars and people could only realize that when they were kissing Jason Grace.

Well, that surely sucked for the rest of the world.

Because Jason was _his_ now, and he was so not going to let anybody else kiss him.

Nope.

After another small eternity that might have only been a heartbeat later, they pulled away from each other again, both with flushed faces, looking giddy, excited, happy, whole.

And, gods, Jason looked so utterly stunning in that blue sweater, it should be illegal.

Oh.

Sweater.

Cold.

"We should probably get to that McDonalds. And then I'll still have to think of a gift for you. Now more than ever, since I think I just got myself a boyfriend." He said, trying to get a feel of that word on his tongue.

A boyfriend.

_His_ boyfriend.

_Jason_.

Jason blinked, probably confused by the randomness of Nico's comment.

Then he laughed.

"Nico, you could literally give me a stapler now and I would still be the happiest man on earth You already gave me the best Christmas gift I could have ever wished for."

Nico felt his face heating more, but the warmth and giddiness spreading through him far outweighed any embarrassment he might have felt.

"And what would that best gift be?" He asked innocently, noticing how his voice had turned into that quiet whisper again.

Maybe that was simply how his voice was like when around Jason.

Jason surely didn't seem to mind, so he decided neither should he.

"You." Jason whispered back, and Nico really loved the sound of his voice right there.

It sounded so genuine and affectionate and soft and perfect.

Nico smiled, getting on tiptoes to place a small peck on Jason's lips.

"I love you."

The two of them stayed close for at least another two or three eternities longer, until Nico could feel Jason's skin cooling considerably in the cold air around them.

Then, the two picked up Nico's bags again and Jason reluctantly shared the weight again – but only because they both wanted to hold hands and Jason couldn't carry all the bags in one hand (though he had tried to, anyways, that gentleman).

And so, hand in hand, they started walking down the still ever so busy street towards a McDonalds, deciding to make the best of the rest of their first date of many to come.

Well, this Christmas was off to a pretty awesome start, Nico had to admit that.

And he was so looking forward to what the future held in store for them.

_Them_.

Jason and him.

Gods, he _loved_ Christmas.

_The End_


End file.
